Condition and coalition formation by brood-rearing common eider females
Partner choice is important in nature, and partnerships or coalitions within which reproduction is shared are the subject of growing interest. However, little attention has been given to questions of which individuals are suitable partners and why. Common eider ( Somateria mollissima ) females somet...
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fthighwire:oai:open-archive.highwire.org:beheco:14/3/311 2023-05-15T15:55:55+02:00 Condition and coalition formation by brood-rearing common eider females Öst, Markus Ydenberg, Ron Kilpi, Mikael Lindström, Kai 2003-05-01 00:00:00.0 text/html http://beheco.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/14/3/311 https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/14.3.311 en eng Oxford University Press http://beheco.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/14/3/311 http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/beheco/14.3.311 Copyright (C) 2003, International Society for Behavioral Ecology Articles TEXT 2003 fthighwire https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/14.3.311 2016-11-16T17:16:19Z Partner choice is important in nature, and partnerships or coalitions within which reproduction is shared are the subject of growing interest. However, little attention has been given to questions of which individuals are suitable partners and why. Common eider ( Somateria mollissima ) females sometimes pool their broods and share brood-rearing duties, and body condition affects care decisions. We constructed a model in which females, based on their body condition and the structure of the joint brood, assess the fitness consequences of joining a coalition versus tending for young alone. We tested the model's predictions by comparing data on the condition of females in enduring and transient coalitions. Our model showed that the range of acceptable brood arrays in a female coalition decreases with increasing condition of the female, so females tending alone should be in better condition than multifemale tenders. This prediction is in agreement with previous data. The model also predicts that females in good condition should join coalitions with females in poor condition and not with other females in good condition. This prediction was also supported by data: in enduring two-female coalitions, the positive correlation between the better female's condition and the difference in condition between the two females was stronger than would be expected by random grouping of females. In contrast, in transient coalitions of females, this correlation did not differ from the correlation expected under random grouping. Model assumptions seem to fit with eider natural history, and the model may prove to be a useful way to study brood amalgamation behavior of waterfowl in general. Text Common Eider Somateria mollissima HighWire Press (Stanford University) Behavioral Ecology 14 3 311 317 |
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Articles Öst, Markus Ydenberg, Ron Kilpi, Mikael Lindström, Kai Condition and coalition formation by brood-rearing common eider females |
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description |
Partner choice is important in nature, and partnerships or coalitions within which reproduction is shared are the subject of growing interest. However, little attention has been given to questions of which individuals are suitable partners and why. Common eider ( Somateria mollissima ) females sometimes pool their broods and share brood-rearing duties, and body condition affects care decisions. We constructed a model in which females, based on their body condition and the structure of the joint brood, assess the fitness consequences of joining a coalition versus tending for young alone. We tested the model's predictions by comparing data on the condition of females in enduring and transient coalitions. Our model showed that the range of acceptable brood arrays in a female coalition decreases with increasing condition of the female, so females tending alone should be in better condition than multifemale tenders. This prediction is in agreement with previous data. The model also predicts that females in good condition should join coalitions with females in poor condition and not with other females in good condition. This prediction was also supported by data: in enduring two-female coalitions, the positive correlation between the better female's condition and the difference in condition between the two females was stronger than would be expected by random grouping of females. In contrast, in transient coalitions of females, this correlation did not differ from the correlation expected under random grouping. Model assumptions seem to fit with eider natural history, and the model may prove to be a useful way to study brood amalgamation behavior of waterfowl in general. |
format |
Text |
author |
Öst, Markus Ydenberg, Ron Kilpi, Mikael Lindström, Kai |
author_facet |
Öst, Markus Ydenberg, Ron Kilpi, Mikael Lindström, Kai |
author_sort |
Öst, Markus |
title |
Condition and coalition formation by brood-rearing common eider females |
title_short |
Condition and coalition formation by brood-rearing common eider females |
title_full |
Condition and coalition formation by brood-rearing common eider females |
title_fullStr |
Condition and coalition formation by brood-rearing common eider females |
title_full_unstemmed |
Condition and coalition formation by brood-rearing common eider females |
title_sort |
condition and coalition formation by brood-rearing common eider females |
publisher |
Oxford University Press |
publishDate |
2003 |
url |
http://beheco.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/14/3/311 https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/14.3.311 |
genre |
Common Eider Somateria mollissima |
genre_facet |
Common Eider Somateria mollissima |
op_relation |
http://beheco.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/14/3/311 http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/beheco/14.3.311 |
op_rights |
Copyright (C) 2003, International Society for Behavioral Ecology |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/14.3.311 |
container_title |
Behavioral Ecology |
container_volume |
14 |
container_issue |
3 |
container_start_page |
311 |
op_container_end_page |
317 |
_version_ |
1766391407484862464 |